Shingle-machine



UNiTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

ADRIAN V. B. O-RR, OF STEELEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

, sHINGLE-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 12,137, dated January '2, 1855.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ADRIAN V. B. ORB, of Steeleville, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania., have invented a new and Improved Machine for Making Shingles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descript-ion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists, in the first place of splitting the shingle from the bolt in such a way that the side of the bolt from which it is taken shall always be left smooth, thus leaving one side of the shingle smooth, after the operation of splitting; and secondly in placing that smooth side down on t-he plank or platform over which the shaving knife works, so that the piece shall be tapered and finished at a single stroke of said knife.

To -enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure 1 of the accompanying vdrawing represents a perspective View of my shingle machine which consists of two portions, 1st, the portion for splitting and, second, that for shaving and tapering the shingle.

Into two end sills A, A, are framed two upright posts B, B, which have again framed into them at the proper height above the sills, two longitudinal tie pieces C, C. Against these t-ies and kept in its place by two rabbeted grooves g, g, in which it slides, is placed the frame D, for holding the splitting knife d. This frame or slide D, is so constructed as to have two faces, a., and b, the one being the thickness of a shingle nearer the platform on which the bolt rests than the other; or in other words, the face b, being in a plane with the splitting knife, the other with the free side of the shingle; the object of this arrangement being to allow the piece when split off the bolt to pass through without bending, which it could not do with a single face like an ordinary hand plane. This frame D, is put in motion by means of a pitman E, and crank F, on one end of the shaft G, supported at one side by the longitudinal tie piece C, and at the other by the two short uprights c, 0, is placed a horizontal platform I-I. This plat-form has one 'edge resting against the frame 'of the splitting knife, and at one end a stop, h, for keeping the bolt in its place while the knife is passing through it. Attached to each of theaforesaid sills A, A, are two additional uprights I, I, and Ig, Ig, the uprights Ig, Igbeing longer than I, I; these are again connected by four longitudinal ties J, J, and K, K. The ties J, J, are placed horizontal while the upper ones K, K, are set at a sufficient angle to allow a shingle to slide down them by gravitation. To the upper faces of these ties K, K, are attached two slides L, L, on which the cross head M, works, moved by a pitman N, attached to the crank O, on the other end of the shaft G. Connected with this cross head by a joint at c, is the metallic frame P, for holding the shaving knife, f. At either side ofthis frame P, and opposite the ends of'the knife, f', is a round kndb, g, g, Fig. 2, and in front of the edge of the knife fastened to a strong spring (71%,) is a` roller, n. The inferior surface of this roller is made to .press the shingle and keep it down on the platform R, R, while the shaving knife is passing over it. On the upper tie pieces to which the slides L, L, are at-A tached, and filling the space between the ties above where the cross head works, is placed a strong platform R, R. Into the end next the cross head is inserted a movable holdfast, s, Fig. 1, whichby means of the levers, A, and B, is made to move up and down; or in other words to rise sufliciently high above the surface of the plat-form to hold the shingle while the knife is making its cut, and then to be depressed on a level `with said platform to allow the finished shingle to slide over it while the knife is y going back.

At the sides of the platform R, B, is placed two guide boards C, C, between which, and Aguided by them the frame P, works. These guides have on their internal face two diverging grooves joined at their widest end by means of a circular groove T, T, T. Into these grooves the rounded knobs g q, Fig. 2, of the knife frame P, works. The lower one of the grooves on either side is so arranged that the knife in making its cut shall leave between its lower surface and the platform a space exactly equal to the thickness required for the shingle, while the upper ones by their divergence will raise it, in passing back suifif ciently high from said platform to allow of t-he introduction of the piece to be shaved.

From the foregoing description of my machine it will be observed, that When the crank shaft G, is put in motion, the splitting knife, d, standing perpendicular to the platform H, on Which the bolt rests, and making horizontal strokes, Will split from the bolt at each stroke a portion of stuff of an uniform thickness, that thickness being equal to the large end of a shingle and at the same time have one side of said portion smooth. This piece being then placed with the smooth side down on the platform R, R,

over which the shaving knife Works, and kept from sliding off by the holdfast, s, is now pressed close to the platform by the roller, n, the knife frame P, put in motion through the cross head, pitlnan, and crank, and guided by the aforesaid grooves, follows the roller and at a single cut, gives the piece the necessary shape and thickness, then rising in its back motion from t-he platform and passing in the upper grooves, lifts the lever A, by means of which the holdfast is depressed and the finished shingle allowed to slide off the platform making room for another piece.

Having thus described my shingle machine in its construction and operation, I would state that I am aware that knives, both double and single, planes Working in slides and stationary rollers, springs, &c., have all been used in various combinations for the purpose of making shingles, I do not therefore claim `to be the inventor or discoverer of any of these mechanical devices; or to be the rst Who has applied them to the purpose of making shingles; but

What I do claim as my invention, and Wish to secure by Letters Patent, s

l. Constructing the frame or slide D, of the splitting knife with two faces, a, and Z9, the one being the thickness of a shingle in advance of the other as described and for the purpose set forth.

2. I claim the device of raising the shaving knife, f, from the platform R, R, during its back motion for the purpose of allowing room for the introduction of the piece to be shaved, substantially as described.

3, I claim moving the holdfast, s, up, and down by the means described, so as to have its use When Wanted and then removing it out of the Way of the finished shingle in its descent as already set forth.

CHAs. S. VALENTINE, WVM. H. STEELE. 

